This invention is a modified bolt assembly for an MG 34 Mauser rifle in order to provide semi-automatic operation whereby a single cartridge is fired with each pull of the trigger. More specifically, the present invention allows for the creation of a replica MG 34 Mauser rifle which fires from a closed bolt, and is capable of only semi-automatic operation, while also inhibiting conversion of the firearm to fully automatic operation.
There has been and continues to be an interest in collecting and shooting weapons that have been developed for, and used by the military. This interest is held by many civilians, particularly those who served in the military. Because many of these firearms are capable of fully automatic operation, private ownership is limited to qualified individuals who acquire a Class II or Class III firearms dealer""s license, or those individuals who apply for and obtain the requisite permission from the local authorities where they reside, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms xe2x80x9cATFxe2x80x9d to become the registered owner of a fully automatic firearm.
Semi-automatic firearms, on the other hand, are not subject to such a rigorous procedure to own and fire legally, and can currently be legally transferred between individuals. However, while there is a good selection of handguns and rifles capable of semi-automatic operation, including some xe2x80x9ccivilianxe2x80x9d versions of military firearms, original fully automatic military firearms are not readily available in semi-automatic versions. There are numerous reasons for this, including the cost of the original firearm, the cost to convert it, the necessity for a gunsmith to perform the conversion arid, most significantly, the diminishment of value of the fully automatic firearm by converting this firearm into semi-automatic operation. Not withstanding the foregoing reasons, there is a desire for original firearms that have been legally converted to semi-automatic operation and thus more easily acquired by civilians.
The present invention is a modified bolt assembly and firing mechanism for an MG 34 Mauser rifle, which allows a firearms enthusiast to create and/or own a semi-automatic MG 34 replica which fires from a closed bolt. Modifications are made to the bolt and the firing mechanism which includes the sear arm, the disconnector and the rocker. The bolt is modified to fire when it is locked with the barrel. The bolt includes a firing pin adapter which also works to make the weapon fire only semi-automatically. In addition to modifying the bolt and the firing mechanism, minor modifications are made to the receiver of the weapon in order to receive the modified bolt and firing mechanism components. Both the disconnector and the sear arm of the firing mechanism, include design elements that prevent the weapon from being readily converted back to fully automatic operation.